Minister for the Environment and Water
The Australian Minister for the Environment and Water is a position which is currently held by Murray Watt in the Albanese ministry since 13 May 2025, following the Australian federal election in 2025.
In the Government of Australia, the minister and assistant minister are responsible for the protection and conservation of the environment; to ensure that Australia benefits from meteorological and related sciences and services; and to see that Australia's interests in Antarctica are advanced. The minister provides direction and oversight of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to develop and implement national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage.
Portfolio responsibilities
The minister administers their portfolio through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and its environment component bodies, including:- Antarctic Animal Ethics Committee
- Antarctic Ethics Committee
- Antarctic Research Assessment Committees
- Antarctic Science Advisory Committee
- Australia-Netherlands Committee on Old Dutch Shipwrecks
- Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee
- Australian Heritage Council
- Bureau of Meteorology
- Environment Protection and Heritage Council
- Great Barrier Reef Consultative Committee
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
- Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Council
- Great Barrier Reef Structural Adjustment Package Technical Advisory Committee
- Hazardous Waste Technical Group
- Murray-Darling Basin Authority
- National Environment Protection Council
- National Environmental Education Council
- New South Wales World Heritage Properties Ministerial Council
- Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator
- Science Program Management Committee
- State of the Environment Committee 2006
- Stockholm Intergovernmental Forum
- Sydney Harbour Federation Trust
- Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Ministerial Council
- Threatened Species Scientific Committee
- Wet Tropics Ministerial Council
List of ministers
Environment
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for the Environment, or any precedent titles:'''Notes'''